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FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTING

Does your bloodwork say everything is normal? Let's dig deeper!

"My labs are NORMAL but I still feel off."

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#1: "NORMAL" does not mean healthy

Maybe you're lacking the energy and mental focus you once had, minor symptoms keep popping up, or you've been self-diagnosed with "What is going on with my body?" syndrome. 


Getting the right lab work is one of the most powerful tools you can have. Most people would be MUCH better served, if they had the right lab work done at the start of their health journey. A lot of people get labs done at their annual physical, but these are the bare minimum and leave a LOT of questions on the table. These labs aren't looking for trends or tendencies that might help with prevention. 

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Focusing on "disease" instead of "dysfunction", allows a lot of women (and men!) to slip through the cracks. They end up doctor-hopping, self-medicating (or supplementing), and trying to piece together the latest tips and tricks they find online. 

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By the time a "disease" shows up on your labs, it's usually quite late in its progression and MUCH more difficult to treat. This is why it's important to request the right testing that can help predict future problems today. Approaching your health from a preventive and proactive way doesn't have to be a headache. Your current and future health depends on getting the right labs.

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#2: Average is NOT good enough

Most practitioners are trained to interpret standard ranges of standard labs. But unfortunately, these ranges are based on an unhealthy population. Using a bell curve average, means that as the population gets sicker, the "normal", or average range, also gets sicker. According to America's Health Rankings, the United States ranks at or near the bottom for life expectancy, when compared to other countries.


Using this bell curve average, means that 96% of the population will fall within "normal" range. So, if you have a sub-clinical or functional issue, regardless of your symptoms, your provider will most-likely dismiss your concerns.

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To get a better handle on your current and future health, we need to look at optimal ranges. These ranges are narrower making it much easier to see trends and patterns that may reveal an underlying imbalance.

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By looking at labs from this functional lens, it's easier to plan a strategy and focus our efforts where they matter most. The ultimate goal is to find the root cause. Running functional labs can help uncover a huge part of the picture and identify potential root causes.


We can check the basics like blood sugar balance, liver function, and cholesterol, but we can also look at markers for underlying
inflammation, autoimmunity, and in-depth thyroid function. Using this as a tool, we can also tailor lifestyle guidance. We might focus on optimizing liver detox pathways, improving cellular function, decreasing inflammation, balancing hormones, or supporting your immune system. You'll be able to get answers, reclaim your health, and get a running head start on your future quality of life.

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#3: Right labs, wrong interpreter 

A lot of women ask me if their current provider can order functional labs. The short answer is "yes". But, the real question becomes "Will your provider know how to interpret these labs...AND how to make the best recommendations?"
It's one thing to have the perfect tool and another to have the skills to use it. Many providers are resistant to ordering these
labs, because:

  1. They don't understand the importance of the specific biomarkers.

  2. They don't know how to interpret the results.

  3. They don't have the skills needed to make recommendations based on the results. 

  4. Health insurance companies will not reimburse for labs that are not deemed"medically necessary".

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I run most bloodwork that you may have seen before through Ulta Labs, including:

  • Comprehensive Blood Chemistry (CBC)

  • Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP) 

  • Lipid Panel (Cholesterol) and Omega 3/6 Check

  • Thyroid Panel (TSH, T4, T3, antibodies) 

  • Vitamin D 

  • Iron Panel 

  • and many more! 

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Below is a list of specialty labs I offer at the clinic: 

  • Adrenal Stress Index Panel

Cortisol, DHEA, and other hormones involved in the stress response are evaluated.​​

  • Female Hormones Panel - DUTCH HORMONE TESTING

Used to assess female hormone imbalance, adrenals, and hormone metabolism

  • Male Hormones Panel 

Used to assess male hormone imbalance 

  • Neurotransmitters 

Serotonin, GABA, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters

  • Food Sensitivity Panel ​

  • Micronutrient Vitamin Panel

    • Assess your optimal levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants

  • GI (Gastrointestinal) Health Panel - GI MAP DNA stool analysis 

A comprehensive approach to evaluating the cause of your gastrointestinal (gut) problems​

 

Have you had recent blood work completed and want another eye to look at your results? 

--> Functional Blood Work Analysis: $180 [Virtual, Not In-Person Clinic]

Get your blood work analyzed and find out where your deficiencies or imbalances are. You must provide completed bloodwork that has been completed in the last 6 months before your visit. You will receive a customized report explaining the results and a 20-minute call with Dr. Ding to go over your results. Recommendations may include nutrition/dietary guidelines or further testing. Supplements will not be recommended unless you are an established patient of Dr. Ding's (has completed a naturopathic initial visit). 

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For more information about more comprehensive visits: 

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